"We internalised an idea of cool that involved the appearance of, if not actual, effortlessness that's hard to shake. But maybe, probably, we were wrong. Certainly, there was something disingenuous about our pretending not to care. Of course we had goals and ambitions and lots of people pedalled desperately to achieve them beneath the surface, while maintaining a nonchalant, no revision front above the waterline."
"This new notion of showing your working and being transparent about effort is refreshingly honest: the career equivalent of crediting your cosmetic surgeon, rather than claiming it's all good genes and water. It ties to a different attitude to failure too—trying and failing always felt shameful to me, but failure is kind of a flex now."
Cultural attitudes toward ambition and work ethic are shifting. Figures like Pharrell Williams and Timothée Chalamet openly celebrate striving and dedication, contrasting with Gen X values that prized appearing effortless while concealing effort. This older generation internalized cool as nonchalance, maintaining facades of success happening naturally while struggling privately. The new transparency about ambition and work is more honest and beneficial, acknowledging that success requires deliberate effort. This cultural shift also reframes failure as acceptable and even admirable rather than shameful. The change represents a move toward authenticity, where people openly credit their work and acknowledge the effort behind achievements.
#cultural-shift #ambition-and-work-ethic #gen-x-values #authenticity-and-transparency #failure-as-success
Read at www.theguardian.com
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